Main menu

Post navigation

UW vs. UNLV football preview: Notes, quotes and video

My top key for Wyoming Saturday in its season-finale football game against UNLV:

Balanced offense: Wyoming needs to run the ball, but it also needs to get the pass game going. A big reason why the Cowboys have scored 10 points over their last two games is that the production through the air hasn’t been there. The weather will be cold and more geared toward running the ball, but UW can’t be one dimensional and must make some plays throwing the ball.

Here are more keys in my preview video:

Saturday’s game is the final one for eight UW seniors, although only six are expected to play and/or play significant roles. Here are a few notes on them:

— The senior class is represented by six different states — ranging from Hawaii to Alabama. Three of the eight are from California — offensive lineman Troy Boyland, wide receiver Justin Berger and running back Shaun Wick.

— Wick won’t play due to a concussion suffered early in the season. There is a chance he may return next season after getting a medical redshirt, but he has yet to be cleared by doctors at this point. Wick is ninth in UW history with 2,179 rushing yards, and tied for eighth with 20 rushing touchdowns.

Eddie Yarbrough

— Defensive ends Eddie Yarbrough and Siaosi Hala’api’api will play in their 47th and 46th games, respectively, for UW. Yarbrough will start his 39th game. Hala’api’api will start in his 26th. Yarbrough is UW’s career leader with 37 tackles for loss, and ninth with 19.5 quarterback sacks.

— Because redshirt senior quarterback Cameron Coffman has missed three games this season due to injury, he hasn’t played in enough games to qualify for Mountain West statistics. If he had — based on his numbers right now — he would be No. 3 in the conference in passing efficiency (144.0). No. 2 in passing yards per game (212.9) and No. 4 in total offense (198.1 ypg).

I have another one coming Saturday on Berger. Here is the video interview I did with him:

A few other notes and quotes about this game:

— “I’m not thinking about it too much. Like any other game, you want to try a nd win. But it will be pretty sad afterwards. Until then, I’m trying not to think about it.” — Coffman on playing his last game for UW.

— “I feel like we’ve a done an applicable job to get the ball rolling as far as the mentality for future teams and guys to come.” — Yarbrough on the legacy of himself and the other seniors.

Craig Bohl

— “This week is about this team right now. I’ve really enjoyed watching these seniors embrace us as coaches and me as the head coach. This week is all about this year’s team.” — UW coach Craig Bohl.

— “I’ve not been to Laramie. I’ve had to go to Reno for state (high school) semifinal games where is 20-some degrees. It will be similar. It will be cold for everyone. You have to be a tough guy, put your long-johns on and go out and hit somebody. If you cant do that, you shouldn’t be playing. … Not all of those guys for Wyoming grew up in Laramie.” — UNLV coach Tony Sanchez.

— The weather forecast for the game is temperatures in the low to mid 20s under partly cloudy skies. Winds will be 8 miles per hour and there is a 20 percent chance of snow. UW has practiced outside in the elements all this week.

Brian Hill

— UW sophomore running back Brian Hill is 57 yards away from breaking the school’s single-season rushing record. When do you think he will get it? I am going with early in the second quarter.

For more on the game, see Saturday’s Wyoming Tribune Eagle and Laramie Boomerang and log on to wyosports.net.